Innosphere's NSF ASCEND Engine Names ARID and SHIELD Accelerator Cohorts for Wildfire and Soil Health Innovation

Fort Collins, CO, Aug. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innosphere, the Colorado-based nonprofit venture development organization that leads the National Science Foundation (NSF) ASCEND Engine, today announced the startups selected for its ARID and SHIELD accelerator cohorts.  

The 16 companies join two sector-specific accelerators aligned with the NSF ASCEND Engine's flagship programs: ARID (Asset Resilience through Intelligent Digital Twins), focused on wildfire risk and grid resilience, and SHIELD (Soil Health Innovation, Evaluation, and Demonstration), focused on soil health, adaptive grazing, and watershed and water-quality management.

The cohort announcement comes on the heels of national recognition for Innosphere's accelerator program. Earlier this month, TIME named Innosphere to its 2026 list of America's Best Incubators & Accelerators. The ranking evaluated organizations on founder-reported program experience, portfolio-company track record, and endorsements from investors and entrepreneurs nationwide, placing Innosphere among the top accelerators in the country — further validation of the commercialization platform now powering the ARID and SHIELD cohorts.

Quick Facts

• 16 companies selected across two cohorts: 10 in ARID (wildfire and grid resilience) and 6 in SHIELD (soil health and water quality)

• Accelerator cohorts are aligned with the NSF ASCEND Engine, a federally-funded Regional Innovation Engine for Colorado and Wyoming led by Innosphere

• 8-month, cohort-based programs for companies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher, with access to real-world Colorado and Wyoming testbeds

• $150,000 in cash prizes available per cohort ($80,000 first place, $50,000 second place, $20,000 third place)

• Announcement follows Innosphere's selection to TIME's 2026 list of America's Best Incubators & Accelerators

About the ARID and SHIELD Accelerators

The ARID and SHIELD accelerators are cohort-based commercialization programs coupled to the NSF ASCEND Engine's core research programs, giving participating companies a direct line to real-world testbeds, technical partners, and end users across Colorado and Wyoming. The companies will participate in an 8-month program built around structured milestones, Client Director support, and access to Innosphere's university and corporate partner network. ARID-aligned companies work alongside the ASCEND Engine's power and water resilience research to help utilities and communities reduce wildfire risk; SHIELD-aligned companies work alongside the Engine's soil health and watershed research to help agricultural producers and land managers adapt to drought and improve land stewardship. 

“Our ARID and SHIELD cohorts companies are addressing real problems facing our region and country today,” said Bud Michael, Client Director for Innosphere. “These 16 companies are building the tools we need to manage wildfire risk and protect soil and water resources. The recognition from TIME is a reminder that the commercialization engine behind them is one of the best in the country.”

ARID Cohort: Wildfire and Grid Resilience

Aftermath Research — Developing AI-driven, satellite-based damage-mapping technology — including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that sees through smoke — to give first responders, survivors, insurers, and recovery planners faster, more accurate information after a wildfire.

Corriente Environmental Solutions (RecordFLOW) — Builds low-cost hardware and software to map, measure, and monitor open-channel water systems — from creeks to irrigation canals — bringing real-time data to utility and agency dashboards.

DecisionAI — Behavioral science-grounded AI applied to energy systems, shaping when, where, and how people use energy to create value for individuals and the broader energy ecosystem, from grids and commercial loads to data centers and other energy-intensive infrastructure. 

Deepfire — Detects wildfires earlier by clustering data from 14 satellites with AI models that filter false positives and route alerts straight to fire agencies and utilities  in the field, detections have beaten the first 911 call by up to two hours. 

Geofire Labs — Uses satellite imagery and AI to dramatically reduce the cost of identifying vegetation that can spark wildfires or power outages along utility powerlines.

Nostera — Builds roadside risk-intelligence sensor nodes that screen vehicles at highway chokepoints for pre-ignition hazards — dragging chains, overheated brakes, tire and wheel failures — alerting agencies before a spark becomes a wildfire.

Omnigeo — A geospatial AI company that measures the physical world from standard imagery, detecting objects, materials, and changes in condition across the built and natural environment to deliver property-level wildfire risk intelligence for insurers, utilities, and municipalities. 

Satellites on Fire — Detects and monitors wildfires using proprietary AI models across a network of 13-plus satellites with a five-minute refresh rate, alerting fire crews and landowners by SMS, WhatsApp, email, or API across 21 countries.

ThreeV Technologies — Delivers audit-defensible asset condition intelligence for utilities, using multi-sensor vehicles and computer vision to detect wildfire risk and reliability issues at scale, with senior linemen reviewing every major finding.

WatchPost — Installs purpose-built micro weather stations directly onto utility infrastructure, combining hyperlocal, ground-truth conditions with a utility's operational data to guide crew deployment and severe-weather response.

SHIELD Cohort: Soil Health and Water Resilience 

Agroptics — Optimizes irrigation water and energy use through real-time remote sensing and weather forecasting, reducing water consumption by up to 15% while enhancing crop yield.

BioSensor Solutions — Makes soil biology measurable in real time with a low-cost, printed sensor that continuously reads biological activity below the surface, paired with an AI-driven soil health forecasting platform.

BioStamp — Synthesizes DNA barcodes for engineered microorganisms, enabling biological intellectual property protection and high-fidelity identification with reduced false positives.

E-Flux — Provides applied environmental measurement services, supporting research customers with cost-effective, science-driven soil and gas-flux data collection.

Nave Analytics — Fuses satellite data, meteorology, and proprietary hydrologic modeling to deliver root-zone soil moisture, crop water demand, and drought-risk intelligence without expensive in-field hardware.

PAGE Technologies — Digitizes water and land systems with low-cost, solid-state sensors and AI analytics, delivering real-time chemical intelligence for water treatment, agriculture, mining, and industrial operations.

About the NSF ASCEND Engine

The NSF ASCEND Engine — Advanced Sensing and Computation for Environmental Decision Making — is a U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine led by Innosphere. Based along the I-25 Innovation Corridor, the ASCEND Engine connects Colorado and Wyoming's federal laboratories, R1 universities, and technology companies to develop scalable solutions for wildfire, drought, extreme weather, and environmental resilience. Every NSF ASCEND Engine program is built with commercialization as a design requirement, moving scientific advances from discovery to deployment through three technical layers: advanced sensing and data generation, computational analytics, and decision support tools. Projected 10-year impact: $3 billion in regional GDP, 18,000 new jobs, and $2 billion in capital raised by 2034.*

*Projections provided by Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation.

About Innosphere

Innosphere is the Colorado-based nonprofit venture development organization built for entrepreneurs turning discovery into companies. Innosphere brings acceleration, capital, infrastructure, and partners together to advance the region and enhance national competitiveness. Innosphere offers sector-specific accelerators, advances capital access, leads the NSF ASCEND Engine, and convenes the Colorado Innovation Council across four R&D-intensive industry sectors. Cumulative impact since 2013: 400+ companies served, 2,000+ jobs created, $3.6B in capital raised, and $300M+ in revenue by client companies. In August 2026, Innosphere was named to TIME magazine's list of America's Best Incubators & Accelerators, developed in partnership with Statista. 

Attachments

• Innosphere Launches ARID & SHIELD Accelerator Cohorts
• ARID & SHIELD Kickoff: Innosphere Client Director Bud Michael Welcomes 2026 Cohort

Kristen Tatti
Innosphere
970-295-4481
kristen@innosphere.org